On Thursday, May 15, 2025, East Idaho News reported that former 3rd District Judge William Kendall appeared in a virtual courtroom as a defendant facing multiple charges.
The 54-year-old from Salt Lake County, Utah, logged onto WebEx, a video platform commonly used by Utah courts, on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, to attend a hearing before Judge Jennifer Valencia. Kendall, addressing the judge as “your honor,” confirmed he waived his right to have the charges read aloud and to a preliminary hearing. His case was scheduled for an arraignment on June 23, 2025, where he will enter a plea before Judge Robert Russell.
Kendall faces charges in 2nd District Court, including forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony, distribution or arranging to distribute a controlled substance, a third-degree felony, and two class B misdemeanors for marijuana possession and possession of drug paraphernalia. His attorney, Greg Skordas, stated he is working with prosecutors to resolve the case.
The charges led to Kendall’s resignation as a judge on April 17, 2025, after Utah House Speaker Mike Schultz indicated impeachment proceedings would be considered if he did not step down. In his resignation letter, Kendall described his judicial service as the “greatest honor of my life.”
During the hearing, he waited online for over an hour as other cases were addressed, a stark contrast to his former role presiding over court proceedings.
The allegations relate to an incident on February 21, 2025, at Kendall’s home. According to charging documents, Kendall, who had been drinking with others, provided recreational tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) to at least one female attendee, who used his “weed pen.” A second woman alleged that Kendall touched her inappropriately over her clothing without her consent during the gathering. Unified police executed a search warrant at Kendall’s residence, seizing THC products and related paraphernalia.
Deputy Davis County attorney Gage Arnold noted that the alleged victim has not requested a protective order but wishes to retain the option to do so as the case progresses. To avoid potential conflicts of interest, Davis County attorneys filed the charges, as Salt Lake County prosecutors are familiar with Kendall due to his prior judicial role.
Source: East Idaho News
